Robert Jensen, Chief Executive Officer
Robert Jensen is a native of Cheyenne. His great grandfather, Hans Jensen, immigrated to Wyoming from Denmark and worked for the Union Pacific Railroad Co. His grand father was born in Cheyenne in July of 1890.

Jensen worked for 27 years with Fleischli Oil Co., a regional petroleum distribution company. After spending his last five years with the company as President, Jensen and the other owners sold the company and left to pursue other interests. Some of those interests included coordinating the feasibility and planning process for Cheyenne’s Depot and Depot Square under the authority of the Cheyenne – Laramie County Economic Development Joint Powers Board and the renovation of The Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne. Jensen joined the staff of the Business Council in March of 2004.

Jensen is active in civic and economic development organizations having served on numerous boards including Cheyenne Leads, Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, Laramie County Library Board and the Wyoming Chapter – National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Mr. Jensen is married to Jill Jensen. They have one daughter, Jessica, a student at the University of Wyoming.

Mark Willis, Chief Operating Officer
Mark Willis joined the Wyoming Business Council as the Director of the Business and Industry Division in 2005. He became Chief Operating Officer in July 2007. Willis came from the Johnson County Economic Development Commission in Texas where he served as the executive director. Prior to that, Willis worked as President and CEO of the Ada, Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation. While working at the Oklahoma Chamber, he was named the “1999 Oklahoma Economic Development Professional of the Year.” Willis received his MBA from Texas A & M University. He is a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council and has been working in the economic development sector for more than 12 years. Other professional credits include, serving as Director of Business Retention for the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation in Texas. During his tenure at Bryan-College Station, he was also appointed Senior Counselor for the Chamber’s Small Business Development Center. His private sector experience includes 10 years working as a Field Engineer for the Western Company of North America, where he was responsible for the sale and design of oil and gas well stimulation treatments.

Peter Reis, Chief Support Services Officer
Peter Reis joined the Wyoming Business Council on November 8, 1999. Reis brings to the Wyoming Business Council a demonstrated expertise in compensation benefits, organization design, performance management, training, employment and labor relations. Reis worked as the director of Human Resources for Saab USA for 10 years. While with Saab, Reis led the senior executive team in successfully restructuring and relocating Saab from Connecticut to Atlanta. Reis also served as the director of personnel services and corporate manager of compensation while working for North American Philips Corp. for 20 years. Reis received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Industrial Relations at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Diane Moser, Chief Financial Officer
Diane graduated with Special Distinction from the University of Southern Colorado in 1978 with a BSBA in Accounting and AAS in Data Processing. She was named in Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges 1977-1978. Starting in 1978, she worked for several public accounting firms in Denver and passed the CPA exam in 1980. She left public accounting in 1985 to work for the Denver Technological Center, a real estate development and holding company. Diane moved to Cheyenne in 1995 and worked for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture until 1999 when she came to work for the Wyoming Business Council. She is also the ex-officio member of the Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues and a member of the Wyoming Society of CPAs.

Ben Avery , Business & Industry Director
On Aug. 20, 2007, Ben Avery was named the Director of the Business and Industry Division. Avery started his new position on Sept. 1. taking over for Mark Willis, who was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the Business Council on July 20. As Business and Industry Director, Avery will work with council staff, local economic development directors and other partners in efforts to diversify and strengthen the economy's of communities throughout the state. Avery is no stranger to the Business Council having joined the agency Feb. 15, 2001 as the Portfolio and Loan Program Manager - a position in which he presently sits. This position is responsible for developing procedures and relationships with Wyoming bankers and bond underwriters to market and promote financial tools facilitating expansion, retention and recruitment of businesses for Wyoming. Prior to joining the Business Council, Avery worked in the banking industry in Wyoming and Colorado for over 22 years. Born in Lander, he is a fourth generation Wyoming native. He has a Bachelors of Science degree in economics from the University of Wyoming and graduated from the Colorado School of Banking in 1983. In 2003, Avery was recognized by the Small Business Administration as Wyoming and Region VIII Small Business Advocate of the Year.

Cindy Garretson-Weibel, Director of Agribusiness Division
Cindy was appointed director of the Agribusiness Division in April 2004. Cindy joined division in November 1998, serving as Leadership/Diversification Program Manager. In this capacity, she served as program director for the Wyoming Leadership Education and Development program, a two-year adult leadership program for agricultural producers and agricultural business professionals. She is also the WBC liaison for agricultural producers regarding income diversification opportunities. Prior to joining the Wyoming Business Council, Garretson-Weibel worked for 13 years in Cheyenne for the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA), a non-profit membership organization comprised of cattle and sheep ranchers. She served as WSGA's chief executive officer from 1993 - 1998, and was the editor of the association's monthly magazine for 11 years. She received a bachelor's degree in agricultural communications from the University of Wyoming in 1986. She is a graduate of the Wyoming L.E.A.D. program and is a certified mediator. She currently serves as Western Region Vice Chairman of the North American Agricultural Marketing Officials, and is a founding member and past president of the Wyoming Society of Association Executives.

Mary Randolph, Executive Director, Wyoming Main Street/Rural Development Council
Mary joined the National Rural Development Partnership as Executive Director of the Wyoming Rural Development Council (WRDC) in August of 1997. In 2004 she also became the State Coordinator for the Wyoming Main Street program. Previous to this position she served 20 years with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, California, Oregon and Wyoming. She held positions in administration, timber, land management planning, public affairs and her last assignment as District Ranger on the Medicine Wheel Ranger District, Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming. Mary Randolph is a graduate of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and Environmental Education. Mary currently serves as Chairman of the National Rural Development Partnership Executive Board.

Shawn Reese, Director, Investment Ready Communities Division
Since joining the Wyoming Business Council in 2003, Shawn Reese has worked closely with Wyoming’s local governments and businesses to improve Wyoming as a place to live and work. Reese initially managed the Community Development Block Grant Economic Development program within the Wyoming Business Council. He helped develop and manage the Business Ready Community program, which was created by the Wyoming Legislature in 2003. Since its creation, the Business Ready Community Program has granted more than $100 million to Wyoming’s communities for economic and community development projects ranging from business parks to child care facilities. Reese is a third generation native of Wyoming. He received his Bachelors of Science in Sociology from the University of Wyoming and performed Master’s work in urban planning. He has also worked in planning development for the city of Cheyenne. He and his wife Aimee have two children.

Diane Shober, Travel & Tourism Director
As Wyoming’s Tourism Director, Diane is responsible for overseeing a division of 20 full-time staff positions and total appropriation of $10.3 million (in FY ’07). Sales and marketing efforts are dedicated to domestic and international tourism development, with the sole mission to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the state of Wyoming.

A Gillette, WY native, Diane earned her bachelor of science in marketing degree from the University of Wyoming in 1984. She also studied international marketing at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in Manchester, England that same year. From 1989 to 1994, Diane was Marketing Manager at the Cam Plex Multi Event Facilities in Gillette. Seizing an opportunity for personal and professional growth, Diane moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1994 to serve as the Managing Director of the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, which then led to an opportunity with the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, where she spent the next 8 years as Manager of Board and Community Relations and then as Director of Membership. In 2003, Diane answered the call to return home.

Diane represents Wyoming on the boards of both the Western States Tourism Policy Council and the National Council of State Tourism Directors. Diane also serves on the board of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation and is a founding member of Deeply Rooted Productions; a Chicago based non-profit professional theatrical dance organization.